


Diminutive Name-Forms In Arda

by Certh



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Essays, Gen, Research
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 18:25:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6162586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Certh/pseuds/Certh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An in-depth look into pet-forms as used in JRR Tolkien's legendarium.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Diminutive Name-Forms In Arda

**Diminutive Name-Forms In Arda  
\---  
**

 

The shortening of a person's name effectively truncates a long appellation and indicates a varying measure of intimacy with that individual. As that manner of displaying familiarity has become habitual in our world, it has also become a common occurrence in fanfiction to come across shortened versions of the names of canon – or original – characters in many stories set in JRR Tolkien's universe. Éowyn may be affectionately called “Wyn” by Éomer; Lothíriel may be “Lothi” to her brothers; to their close friends Elladan and Elrohir may be “Dan” and “Ro” respectively.

Tolkien himself shortened the names of some of the characters he created, most notably those of Hobbits: Samwise Gamgee, for example, was “Sam” to those who knew him well; Meriadoc Brandybuck was “Merry”; Tobold Hornblower was “[Old] Toby”.  
  
The process of giving his characters pet names may appear simple at first glance, yet when one considers the diminutive forms more carefully, it becomes evident that there was more to it than meets the eye.

 

  


**Diminutives of  the given names of Hobbits**

Concerning the given names of Hobbits, Tolkien wrote:  

> _“_ _In some old families, especially those of Fallohide origin such as the Tooks and the Bolgers, it_ _was, however, the custom to give high-sounding first-names. Since most of these seem to have been_ _drawn from legends of the past, of Men as well as of Hobbits . . ._ _I have turned them into those old names, largely of Frankish and Gothic origin, that are still used by us or are met in our histories . . ._ _Names of classical origin have rarely been used; for the nearest equivalents to Latin and Greek in Shire-lore were the Elvish tongues, and these the Hobbits seldom used in nomenclature . . ._ _The names of the Bucklanders were different from those of the rest of the Shire . . . They had a style that we should perhaps feel vaguely to be ‘Celtic’ . . ._ _I have not used names of Hebraic or similar origin in my transpositions. Nothing in Hobbit-names corresponds to this element in our names._ _Short names such as_ _Sam,_ _Tom, Tim, Mat were common as abbreviations of actual Hobbit-names,_ _such as Tomba, Tolma, Matta, and the like.”_

        The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, II

**  
**

The majority of pet names found in JRR Tolkien's legendarium belong to Hobbits. These familiar appellations are either short forms of the original given name, or are formed by adding suffixes.

  * The **short** **forms** of compound Hobbit names are created from the initial element of the compound, or from the first sound of the name.  
Thus, we have:




**-** _Frodo "Fro"  
_        The name  _Frodo_ is a modernisation of Old English  _Fróda_ , a form of the Old Norse name _Fróði_ , and means _wise_ ; it comes from the word  _fróðr_. The diminutive  _Fro_ , encountered only once in  _The Epilogue_ in  _The History of Middle-earth: Sauron Defeated_ to refer to Sam Gamgee's son, comes from the first sound of the name. 

 **-** _Halfast_ _“Hal”  
_         The name _Halfast_ is a modernisation of Old English _hálfæst_ and means _healthy and firm_ ; it comes from the words _hál_ =healthy, and _fæst_ =firm, fixed. Its modernised diminutive is the short form _hal_.

 **-** _Hamfast “Ham”  
_         The name _Hamfast_ is a modernisation of Old English _há_ _m_ _fæst_ and means _stay-at-home_ ; it comes from the words _h_ _á_ _m_ =home, and _fæst_ =firm, fixed. Its modernised diminutive is the short form _ham_.  
  
**-** _Holman “Hom”  
_         The name _Holman_  is “supposed to [mean] 'hole-man'”; it comes from the Old English words _hol_ =hole, and _mann_ =person. The diminutive _Hom_ comes from the first sound of the name.  
  
**-** _Samwise “Sam”  
_         The name _Samwise_ is a modernisation of Old English _samwís_ and means _half-wise_ ; it comes from the words _sam_ =half, and _wís_ =wise, skilled. Its diminutive is the short form _sam_. _  
  
_**-** _Tolman “Tom”  
_         The name __Tolman__ is a modernisation of Old English _tólmann_ and means __tool person__ ; it comes from the words _tól_ =tool, and _mann_ =person. The diminutive __Tom__ comes from the first sound of the name.  
  
**-** _Wilcome “Will”  
_         The name _Wilcome_ is a modernisation of Old English _wilcuma_ and means _welcome guest_ ; it comes from the words _will_ _a_ =pleasure, and _cuma_ =guest. The modernised diminutive _Will_ comes from the first sound of the name.

 

  * The English diminutive **suffix** _-y/-ie_ is used to form other pet names, by adding it to the original name or its abbreviated variant.  
Thus, we have:




**-** _Andwise “Andy”_  
        The name _Andwise_ is a modernisation of Old English _andwís_ and means _expert_ , _skilful_ ; it comes from the words _and_ =completely, fully, and _wís_. The diminutive _Andy_ is formed from the short form of the name, _and-_ , and the suffix _-y_.

 **-**   _Elanor _“_ Ellie _”  
        __ The flower-name  _Elanor_ , given to Sam Gamgee's first daughter, comes from the Sindarin words  _ _ê_ l_=star, and  _anor_ =sun. The diminutive  _Ellie_ , encountered only once in  _The Epilogue_ in  _The History of Middle-earth: Sauron Defeated_ , is formed from the short form  _el_ and the suffix  _-ie_.

 **-** _Meriadoc “Merry”  
_         The name _Meriadoc_ – chosen “because it gives naturally a shortening 'Merry'” – is of Welsh origin and means _great lord_ ; it comes from the Middle Welsh words _mawr_ =great, and _udd_ =lord. The modernised diminutive _Merry_ comes from the modernised short form _mer_ and the suffix _-y_.

 **-** _Rorimac “Rory”  
_         The name _Ror_ _imac_ , unlike many Hobbit-names found in JRR Tolkien's legendarium, is not an attested form of a real-world name. Although the word _mac_ is Celtic in origin and means _son_ , and _Rory_ is the anglicisation of the Irish name _Ruaidhrí_ , which means _red-_ _haired_ _king_ , the name _Rorimac_ is likely one of those names that were “given a Celtic cast”. The diminutive _Rory_ comes from the first sound of the name and the suffix _-y_.

 **-** _Rose “_ _Rosie”  
_         The diminutive of the flower-name _Rose_ comes from adding the English suffix _-ie_ to the original name.

 **-** _Tobold “Toby”  
_         The name _Tobold_ is a modernisation of Old High German _Theud_ _o_ _bald_ and means _people-bold_ ; it comes from the words _theuda_ =people, and _bald_ =bold. The modernised diminutive _Toby_ comes from the first sound of the name and the suffix _-y_.

 

In JRR Tolkien's works exist also diminutives of Hobbit-names, of which the original names are not given:  
_  
_**-** _Bob  
_         Given the evident fixed pattern in forming diminutives, it seems unlikely that the pet form _Bob_ is an abbreviation of _Robert_. This diminutive may be an abbreviation of a Westron name beginning in _Bob-_.  
  
**-** _Nob  
_         One possible full name for this diminutive is _Norbert_ , originating from the Germanic words _nord_ =north, and _b_ _erht_ =bright. Alternatively, the diminutive _Nob_ may be an abbreviation of a Westron name beginning in _Nob-_.  
_  
_**-** _Ted_  
        Given Tolkien's own words concerning names “of classical origin” and the evident fixed pattern in forming diminutives, it is unlikely that the pet-form _Ted_ is an abbreviation of names such as _Theodore, Edward, Edmund_ _._ Possible full names for this diminutive include names that give naturally the shortening _Ted_ , such as the modernised name _Ted_ _man_ (from the Germanic _Theudeman_ ; from the words _theuda_ =people, and _man_ ). Alternatively, the diminutive _Ted_ may be an abbreviation of a Westron name beginning in _Ted-_.

 **-** _Willie  
_         Possible full names for this diminutive include names that give naturally the shortening _Will,_ such as _Wilber_ (from the Old Germanic _Willabert;_ from the words _wil_ =will, desire, and _berht_ =bright).

 

The diminutives of “actual Hobbit-names”, that is, Westron names, found in JRR Tolkien's works are also created from the short forms of those names:

 **-** _Arambil “Bill”  
_         The meaning of this given name, which is encountered only as a passing reference in _The Appendix on Languages_ in _The History of Middle-earth: The Peoples of Middle-earth_ , is unknown. _  
__  
_**-** _Banaz_ _î_ _r “Ban”  
_         _Banazîr_ is Samwise Gamgee's true name. _Ban_ means _half_ , _almost_ , and _z_ _î_ _r_ means _wise_.  
  
**-** _Bildad, Bilcuzal “Bill”  
_         The meaning of these given names, which are encountered only as passing references in _The Appendix on Languages_ in _The Peoples of Middle-earth_ , is unknown.  
  
**-** _Kalimac “Kali”  
__Kalimac_ is Meriadoc Brandybuck's true name; _Kali_ means _jolly, gay_.

 **-**   _Matta, Mattalic _“_ Mat _”  
_         _ The meaning of these given names, which are encountered only as passing references in __Appendix F_ _ of _The Lord of the Rings_ and in _The Appendix on Languages_ in _The Peoples of Middle-earth_ , is unknown.  
  
**-** _Ranugad “Ran”  
__Ranugad_ is Hamfast Gamgee's true name; _R_ _â_ _n_ means _village_.  
_  
_**-** _Razanur “Razar”  
        Razanur_ is Peregrin Took's true name, containing the elements _raza_ =stranger, _razan=_ foreign; _Razar_ is "a kind of small red apple".

 **-**   _Tôbias _“_ Tôbi _”_  
 _        _Tôbias_ was, in an early version of the legendarium, the true name of Tobold Hornblower, though its meaning is unknown.  
  
**-** _Tolma, Tomacca, Tomba,_ _Tomburân_ _“Tom”_ _  
_         The meaning of these given names, which are encountered only as passing references in _Appendix F_ of _The Lord of the Rings_ and in _The Appendix on Languages_ in _The Peoples of Middle-earth_ , is unknown.

  
***** _“_ _Pippin”_ is not a short form of _Peregrin_ , but a nickname related to the Westron abbreviation _Razar_.  
  


Considering the pet-forms cited above, it becomes evident that Hobbit-name diminutives were often nonsensical in themselves.

 

 

** Diminutives of the given names of Elves **

The only diminutives of Elf-names found in JRR Tolkien's works are shortenings of Quenya given names recorded in _The Peoples of Middle-earth_ , but they do not appear in the last versions of Tolkien's legendarium. These diminutives are formed by adding an agental suffix to the name's short form:

 **-** _Nelyafinwë “Nelyo”  
__Nelyafinwë_ is the father-name of Maedhros and means _third Finwë_. It comes from the Quenya word _nelya_ =three, and the name _Finwë_ , the name of Maedhros's grandfather. The diminutive _Nelyo_ is formed from the word _nelya_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _third one_.

 **-** _C_ _anafinwë “_ _C_ _á_ _no”_ (earlier spelling was with a _k_ )  
_C_ _anafinwë_ is the father-name of Maglor and means _strong-voiced Finwë_. It comes from the Common Eldarin stem _k_ _an_ =cry aloud, and the name _Finwë_. The diminutive _C_ _á_ _no_ is formed from the derivative verb _c_ _an-_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _strong-voiced one_.

 **-** _Turcafinwë “Turco”_ (earlier spelling was with a _k_ )  
_Tur_ _c_ _afinwë_ is the father-name of Celegorm and means _strong Finwë_. It comes from the Quenya word _tur_ _c_ _a_ =strong in body, and the name _Finwë_. The diminutive _Tur_ _c_ _o_ is formed from the word _tur_ _c_ _a_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _strong one_.

 **-** _C_ _urufinwë “_ _C_ _urvo”_ (earlier spelling was with a _k_ )  
_C_ _urufinwë_ , apart from being Fëanor's own name, is also the father-name of Curufin. The name means _skilful_ _Finwë_ and comes from the Quenya word _c_ _uru_ =skill, and the name _Finwë_. The diminutive _C_ _urvo_ is formed from the word _c_ _uru_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _skil_ _ful_ _one_.

 **-** _Morifinwë “Moryo”  
__Morifinwë_ is the father-name of Caranthir and means _dark(-haired) Finwë_. It comes from the Quenya word _morë_ =dark, and the name _Finwë_. The diminutive _Moryo_ is formed from the word _morë_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _dark(-haired) one._

 **-** _Pityafinwë “Pityo”  
__Pityafinwë_ is the father-name of Amrod and means _little Finw_ _ë_. It comes from the Quenya word _pitya_ =little, and the name _F_ _inwë_. The diminutive _Pityo_ is formed from the word _pitya_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _little one_.

 **-** _Telufiwë “Telvo”  
__Telu_ _finwë_ is the father-name of Amras and means _last Finw_ _ë_. It comes from the Quenya word _telu_ =last, and the name _F_ _inwë_. The diminutive _Telvo_ is formed from the word _telu_ and the masculine suffix _-o_ , thus meaning _last one_.

 

It is interesting to observe that these diminutives cited above are no random name-shortenings, but meaningful appellations in themselves. Given the important role that names had in Elven culture, it can be deduced that the diminutives of other Elven names, both Quenya and Sindarin, were formed in a similar manner, by adding agental suffixes to the name's short form and thus creating an abbreviated, meaningful pet-form.

 

 

** Diminutives of the given names of Men **

The only diminutives of Man-names found in JRR Tolkien's works belong to Men from Breeland. Only two of the original names from which these pet-forms originate are known:   


**-** _Barliman “Barley”  
_         The name _Barliman_ comes from the English words _barley_ and _man_. Its diminutive is the short form _barley_.

 **-** _Harry  
_         The diminutive  _Harry_ comes “from _Herry_ from _Henry_ ”, from the Old High German name _Heimerich_ ; from the words _he_ _im_ =home, and _ri_ _hhi_ =ruler.

  


The original forms of the remaining recorded diminutive names of Breelanders are not given:

 **-** _Bill_  
        The diminutive _Bill_ is an English variant of _Will_ , which is in turn the short form of _William_ , from the Old High German _Willahelm_ ; from the words _willio_ =will, and _helma_ =helmet. Alternatively, the diminutive _Bill_ may be an abbreviation of a Westron name beginning in _Bil-_ , the same way that the Hobbit-names _Bildad, Bilcuzal_ give the shortening _Bil_ _l_.

 **-** _Mat  
_         As Tolkien did not use names “of Hebraic or similar origin” for Hobbits, since their Biblical connotations specific to our world could not apply to a fantastical universe, it can be deduced that such names were not used for Men either. Thus, _Mat_ isn't an abbreviation of _Matthew/Mattathiyah_. Possible full names for this diminutive include names that give the shortening _Mat_ , such as _Matland_ (from the Old English _Maitland_ ; from the words _m_ _ǽ_ _d_ =meadow, and _land_ ). Alternatively, the diminutive _Mat_ may be an abbreviation of a Westron name beginning in _Mat_ _-_ , the same way that the Hobbit-name _Matta_ gives the shortening _Mat_.

 **-** _Rowlie  
_         The diminutive comes from the name  _Rowland_ ; from the Old English words _hrod_ =fame, and _land_. _Rowlie_ originates from the first sound of the name, and the suffix _-_ _ie_.

 **-** _Tom_  
        As Tolkien did not use names “of Hebraic or similar origin” for Hobbits, since their Biblical connotations specific to our world could not apply to a fantastical universe, _Tom_ cannot be an abbreviation of _Thomas_. Possible full names for this diminutive include names that give the shortening _Tom_ , such as _Tormey_ (from the Germanic _Tormod_ ; from the words _þórr_ =thunder, and _móðr_ =spirit). Alternatively, the diminutive _Tom_ may be an abbreviation of a Westron name beginning in _Tom-_ , the same way that the Hobbit-names _Tomacca, Tomba,_ etc give the shortening _Tom_.

 

No diminutives are given for names from other Mannish cultures, such as that of Rohan, Gondor, Númenor, or Dale.

It is quite possible, however, that the diminutives of the names of Men named in the Elvish tongues were, under the influence of the Elven culture, formed by adding agental suffixes to the name's short form and thus creating an abbreviated, meaningful pet-form.

 

 

** Diminutives of the given names of persons from other cultures **

The only other name diminutives found in JRR Tolkien's works belong to the Trolls in _The_ _Hobbit_ , and to the wizard Saruman in _The Lord of the Rings_. As _The Hobbit_ began as a bedtime story for his children, the trolls were there given popular men's names, although Tolkien later regretted it ( _“[I] should not have called the troll William.”_ [ _The Letters of JRR Tolkien_ , Letter#153]): 

 **-** _Bert  
_         The diminutive _Bert_ originates from given names ending in the Germanic word _berht_ , such as _Albert_.

 **-** _Tom  
_         This diminutive is a shortening for _Thomas_.

 **-** _William “Bill”  
_         For the given name _William_ , cf. _Bill_ above.

 

In _The Lord of the Rings_ , the Orcs and Men serving Saruman in Isengard made a pet-form of his Orkish name:

 **-** _Sharkû “Sharkey”_  
        The name _Sharkû_ is Orkish and means _old man_ ; the diminutive _Sharkey_ is formed by adding the suffix _-ey_ to the name.

 

No diminutives are given for Dwarf-names, Orc-names, or others.

* * *

 

**Sources**

JRR Tolkien, _The Hobbit_  
JRR Tolkien, _The Lord of the Rings  
_ JRR Tolkien, _The History of Middle-earth  
_ JRR Tolkien, _The_ _Letters_ _of JRR Tolkien  
_ JRR Tolkien, _Nomenclature in_ The Lord of the Rings  
Jim Allan, _An_ _Introduction to_ _Elvish  
_ Yvonne Navarro, _First Name Reverse Dictionary_  
[Online Etymology Dictionary](http://www.etymonline.com/)  
[Bosworth-Toller Old English Dictionary](http://www.bosworthtoller.com/)  
[Trinity Saint David's Welsh Dictionary](http://www.geiriadur.net/index.php?page=ateb&term=red&direction=ew&type=all&whichpart=exact)  
[Online Irish Dictionary and Language Library](http://www.teanglann.ie/en/eid)  
[The Celtic Roots of Meriadoc Brandybuck  
](http://www.tolkiensociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Celtic-Roots-of-Meriadoc-Brandybuck.pdf)[Behind the Name](http://www.behindthename.com/)  
[Welsh Names at NameNerds](http://www.namenerds.com/welsh/meaning.html)  
[Nordic Names](http://www.nordicnames.de/)


End file.
